Optical compensation films have been conventionally produced using a process wherein a solution in which a liquid crystal compound is dissolved in an organic solvent is prepared, and the solution is applied, dried and cured, thereby continuously producing an optical compensation film. These optical compensation films are required to have uniform alignment of liquid crystals. Thus, uniform performance is imparted by applying a liquid crystal compound to a transparent substrate to which an alignment film has been applied, drying the liquid crystal compound at a high temperature, and then polymerizing and curing the compound using light or heat.
In particular, photo-curing using ultraviolet radiation or the like is an efficient means in terms of the productivity of the optical compensation film. As means for increasing the degree of curing in order to improve the durability and damage resistance of an optical compensation film, processes wherein the film is cured using light radiation while heating the film (to 100° C. or more) have been disclosed (see Patent Documents 1 to 3).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-267628    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-154709    Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-101658